Women's Health
Waist-to-Hip Ratio Calculator
Your waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) is your waist measurement divided by your hip measurement. For women, the World Health Organization uses 0.85 as its cut-off: above it, the risk of metabolic complications is higher. Some other charts use 0.80 as a lower line. Enter your two measurements below to see where you land.
It is a screening number, not a diagnosis. It depends on exactly where the tape sits, and it cannot tell you why your ratio is what it is. The sections below show how to measure the way WHO describes, what each range means, and what to do next.
Your measurements
Halfway between your lowest rib and the top of your hip bone, measured after a normal breath out.
Widest part of hips/buttocks.
Your ratio
0.735
Risk category
Below 0.80
How to measure your waist and hips correctly
Most "wrong" results come from the tape, not the body. WHO's measuring protocol is simple:
- Stand up straight with your feet close together, arms relaxed at your sides and your weight evenly spread. Wear light clothing or underwear.
- Find the lowest rib you can feel, and the top of your hip bone (the bony ridge at the side of your hip). The halfway point between them is your waist level.
- Wrap a soft tape measure around your body at that level, parallel to the floor. It should be snug, but not pressing into your skin.
- Breathe out normally and read the tape at the end of that breath. Do not hold your stomach in.
- For your hips, wrap the tape around the widest part of your buttocks, again parallel to the floor.
- Measure each twice. If the two readings are within 1 cm (about 3/8 inch), use the average. If they are further apart, measure both again.
- Use the same unit for waist and hips. Centimetres or inches both work, because the ratio is the same.
Why the exact spot matters. Websites tell you to measure at the narrowest point, at the belly button, or at the midpoint, and these give different numbers. WHO's own review found that the health associations for waist circumference looked similar whichever spot studies used, but it also noted that measuring at the belly button can underestimate the waist. The practical rule: pick one method, use it every time, and compare yourself with your own past numbers rather than a friend's.
What your waist-to-hip ratio means
| Your ratio | In plain words |
|---|---|
| Below 0.80 | Lower range. A few other charts use 0.80 as a lower line. It is not a WHO band. |
| 0.80 to 0.85 | Middle range. Above the lower line used by some charts, and at or below WHO's 0.85. Many people land here. Use it as a prompt to look at your waist measurement and habits, not as a verdict. |
| Above 0.85 | Higher range. WHO's table lists a ratio of 0.85 or more in women as "substantially increased" risk of metabolic complications, and this calculator starts the higher range just above 0.85. Worth raising with a doctor or nurse, especially if you also have high blood pressure, high cholesterol or raised blood sugar. |
Worked example. A 72 cm waist and 98 cm hips give 72 ÷ 98 = 0.735, which is below 0.80. A 90 cm waist and 100 cm hips give 0.90, which is above 0.85.
Where the lines come from. The 0.85 figure is in WHO's 2008 report on waist circumference and waist-hip ratio, in its table of cut-off points for women. The 0.80 line is not a WHO risk band. A few other charts use it as a lower line, and WHO's report mentions 0.80 as an example cut-off for Asian women. Sources also disagree about whether exactly 0.85 counts as "increased": WHO's table writes "0.85 or more", while the text just above that table in the same annex, quoting WHO's 1999 diabetes report, says "above 0.85". This calculator treats exactly 0.85 as the top of the middle range. A 1 cm change in your waist moves the ratio by about 0.01 when your hips are near 100 cm, so treat 0.85 as a zone rather than a cliff edge.
If your family background is South Asian, East Asian or similar. WHO's report says studies suggest risk starts at lower values in Asian populations (0.80 for women is its example), so the 0.80 line may be the more relevant one for you. This calculator uses one set of lines for everyone, so ask a doctor how to read your number.
Apple shape, pear shape, and what the ratio cannot tell you
People who carry weight mostly around the middle are often called "apple" shaped, and people who carry it on the hips and thighs "pear" shaped. A higher ratio points towards the apple pattern. That matters because deep fat around your organs (visceral fat) is the kind the British Heart Foundation links to higher cholesterol, high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes.
The ratio cannot tell fat from bone or muscle, show how much belly fat sits deep around your organs, or explain why your number is high. Wide hip bones, strong glutes or a narrow frame can push it either way. One 2020 research paper argues that waist and hips should be studied as two separate measurements rather than as a ratio. Use the ratio as a quick check, and look at your waist number on its own too.
High ratio but a healthy weight?
A high ratio at a healthy weight has two common causes: more fat around your middle than your BMI shows, or narrow hips, which push the ratio up without a large waist. Check your waist-to-height ratio (below). If your waist is under half your height, narrow hips are the likelier explanation.
A normal BMI does not guarantee a low-risk waist. A 2026 study in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, reported by Harvard Health, pooled 15 long-running studies from the United States and Brazil (over 259,000 adults, men and women). Among adults with a normal BMI, 5% had a high waist circumference and 18% a high waist-to-hip ratio. Among people of normal weight or overweight, a high waist or a high ratio went with about 15% to 50% higher risk for most heart-related outcomes than a normal BMI with a low waist. People with obesity but a small waist had no higher heart-related risk than people of normal weight.
Waist-to-hip ratio vs BMI vs waist-to-height ratio
| Waist-to-hip ratio | Waist-to-height ratio | BMI | |
|---|---|---|---|
| How to work it out | Waist ÷ hips | Waist ÷ height | Weight ÷ height squared |
| Reference points | WHO (women): above 0.85 is the higher-risk range | NHS and NICE: keep your waist under half your height. BHF: 0.4 to 0.49 healthy, 0.5 to 0.59 increased risk, 0.6 or above highest risk | NHS gives bands, with lower cut-offs for some ethnic groups |
| What it shows | Where you store fat | How much fat sits around your belly relative to your size | Weight for height only |
| Main limit | Needs two accurate measurements; narrow or wide hips distort it | The NHS tool is not for pregnancy, eating disorders, growth conditions or a BMI over 35 | Cannot tell muscle from fat or show where fat sits |
None of these is "the best". A review summarised in WHO's 2008 report concluded that waist circumference alone could replace waist-hip ratio and BMI as a single risk factor for death from any cause. The NHS and NICE now point adults with a BMI under 35 to waist-to-height ratio as the simple home check, used alongside BMI. That is why this page covers more than one number.
With PCOS, around menopause and after pregnancy
PCOS (the NHS now calls it PMOS). The NHS says tests for PMOS include blood tests to check hormone levels and insulin resistance and, for people over 18, an ultrasound scan. A tape measure is not part of that. In a 2023 hospital study in Beijing of 166 women with PCOS and 139 without it, women with PCOS had higher insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) than women without it, both among those with a waist-to-hip ratio of 0.85 or higher and among those below it. So a normal ratio does not rule out metabolic problems, and a high ratio is not proof of PCOS.
Around menopause. A 2019 analysis of 201 studies (about 1 million women) found waist-to-hip ratio was on average 0.04 higher in postmenopausal than in premenopausal women (95% confidence interval 0.03 to 0.05), a comparison between groups of different ages, with more fat around the middle and less on the legs. The authors concluded most of the change in total fat came from age rather than menopause itself, while noting the shift to central fat may be partly hormonal.
After pregnancy. The NHS says the gap between the stomach muscles usually closes by about 8 weeks, and says to contact the GP if the gap is still obvious 8 weeks after the birth. In a large US survey (16,325 women) summarised in WHO's 2008 report, more births were linked to a higher waist and lower hip and thigh circumference, even after allowing for age and BMI. A ratio taken in the first months tells you very little, and the NHS waist-to-height tool is not for use during pregnancy.
What to do with your result
- Below 0.80. Nothing to fix. Note the number and recheck in a few months, measuring the same way.
- 0.80 to 0.85. Look at your waist on its own and at your waist-to-height ratio. Small changes in activity and eating that you can keep up are the usual starting point.
- Above 0.85. A reason to book a routine check with a GP or practice nurse, who can look at blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar. It is not a reason to panic. The British Heart Foundation says to speak to your nurse or GP if you are worried about your waist size.
- Waist bigger than hips (ratio above 1.0). Measure again first. If it is the same, mention it to a doctor.
Harvard Health suggests a long-term routine of regular movement and food changes you can sustain, rather than fast weight loss, plus strength training at least twice a week if you can. Because waist and hips often shrink together, your ratio can barely move while your waist gets smaller, so also record your waist and waist-to-height ratio.
If measuring your body upsets you, or you have had an eating disorder, you do not need to use this tool. The NHS tells people with an eating disorder not to use its waist-to-height calculator.
Frequently asked questions
For women, WHO treats a ratio above 0.85 as increased risk, so staying at or below 0.85 is the usual aim. Some other charts use 0.80 as a lower line. Neither is a pass or fail mark. Your ratio is one screening number, best read next to your waist size, blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar.
It sits exactly on the line, and sources differ. WHO's table writes "0.85 or more" while other WHO text says "above 0.85". This calculator puts exactly 0.85 in the middle range and anything above it in the higher range. Because a 1 cm measuring error can move you across the line, treat 0.85 as a zone, not a cliff.
Divide your waist measurement by your hip measurement, using the same unit for both. For example, a 72 cm waist and 98 cm hips give 72 ÷ 98 = 0.735. Centimetres and inches give the same ratio as long as you do not mix them.
WHO says to measure halfway between your lowest palpable rib and the top of your hip bone, with the tape parallel to the floor, at the end of a normal breath out. Pick that spot every time. Measuring at the belly button or at your narrowest point gives a different number.
Either one. The ratio is the same as long as waist and hips use the same unit. Do not mix them, for example waist in inches and hips in centimetres. If your tape has both scales, read the same side for both measurements.
It answers a different question. BMI cannot tell muscle from fat or show where fat sits. In a 2026 study of about 260,000 adults, 18% of people with a normal BMI had a high waist-to-hip ratio, and a high ratio went with higher heart-related risks. A review summarised in WHO's 2008 report found waist circumference alone could replace both for predicting death from any cause, so check your waist too.
You may carry more fat around your middle than BMI shows, or you may have narrow hips, which raises the ratio without a large waist. Check your waist-to-height ratio: if your waist is under half your height, narrow hips are the likelier reason. A GP can check further.
Yes, it can change with weight, activity and age, but your waist and hips often shrink together, so the ratio may barely move. Track your waist measurement and waist-to-height ratio too, and aim for habits you can keep, not quick fixes.
0.7 is not a health target. We checked WHO's 2008 report and the NHS, NICE and British Heart Foundation pages used here, and none sets 0.7 as a goal. They give risk lines such as 0.85. Some charts use 0.80 as a lower line, and lower is not automatically better.
Your ratio is above 1.0, well inside the higher range. First check you measured at the right spots with the tape level. If the numbers are right, it is worth mentioning to a doctor or nurse, who can look at blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar.
PCOS (now called PMOS by the NHS) is checked with blood tests and, for people over 18, an ultrasound scan, not a tape measure. In a 2023 hospital study in Beijing, women with PCOS had higher insulin resistance than women without it, whether their ratio was below or at/above 0.85. A normal ratio does not rule out problems, and a high one does not prove PCOS. Try our Menstrual Cycle Calculator to predict your next period, ovulation and fertile window.
On average, yes, a little. A 2019 analysis of 201 studies found it was about 0.04 higher on average in postmenopausal than in premenopausal women, with more fat around the middle and less on the legs. Most of the change in fat overall was linked to age rather than menopause itself. Track your own trend. Try our Menopause Age Calculator to estimate your likely menopause age.
Your body keeps changing for months. The NHS says the gap between stomach muscles usually closes by about 8 weeks, and to contact the GP if the gap is still obvious at 8 weeks. Studies find that women with more births tend to have a higher waist and lower hip and thigh measurements, so early readings tell you little. Try our Pregnancy Weight Gain Calculator to estimate how much weight to gain in pregnancy.
Not exactly. WHO's report says studies suggest lower cut-offs for Asian populations, with 0.80 for women as an example, and that data on cut-offs for predicting death from any cause are lacking for groups other than European, North American and Australian white populations. This calculator uses one set of lines, so ask a doctor how to read your own number.
No. The NHS tells people who are pregnant, or who have an eating disorder or think they may have one, not to use its waist-to-height calculator, and the same caution applies here. Your measurements change in pregnancy for normal reasons. If measuring upsets you, skip it.
Sources
- World Health Organization, Waist circumference and waist-hip ratio: report of a WHO expert consultation, Geneva, 8–11 December 2008 (PDF)
- NHS, Calculate your waist to height ratio
- NHS, Overweight and obesity
- NHS, Your post-pregnancy body
- NHS, Polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome (PMOS), formerly PCOS
- British Heart Foundation, Measuring your waist
- NICE, Keep the size of your waist to less than half of your height (8 April 2022)
- Harvard Health, Where you carry excess weight matters in predicting heart disease risk
- Harvard Health, Belly fat may pose more danger for women than for men
- Zhang H, et al. Relationship between body composition, insulin resistance, and hormonal profiles in women with polycystic ovary syndrome. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2022;13:1085656 (published online 9 January 2023)
- Ambikairajah A, et al. Fat mass changes during menopause: a metaanalysis. Am J Obstet Gynecol 2019;221(5):393-409. doi:10.1016/j.ajog.2019.04.023
- The waist-hip ratio: a flawed index. Ann Hum Biol 2020;47:629-631. doi:10.1080/03014460.2020.1820079